U.S. Rep. Perlmutter of the 7th Congressional District in Colorado, wants to read the 14th Amendment out loud, which explicitly lays out equal protection for all people, to defend the new health care legislation. (Matt McClain, Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — Stoked by a new-infusion of Tea Party spirit, some U.S. House of Representatives members will read the entire Constitution on the floor at the start of Congress tomorrow.

But Jefferson County Democrat Congressman Ed Perlmutter doesn’t want to be left out.

The lawyer and fierce defender of the new health care law said after his swearing in Wednesday that he is going to try and squeeze in the line of House members already queuing to read the 14th Amendment aloud on the House floor.

The reason Perlmutter picked the 14th, which explicitly lays out equal protection for all people, is to defend the new health care legislation which House Republicans say they are going to try and repeal possibly as soon as Friday.

It’s unlikely a House vote to repeal the health care law will go anywhere because it will probably not pass the Senate, which is still controlled by Democrats.

“Prior to the bill people with prior illnesses … can be excluded and that’s not right under the law or the Constitution,” Perlmutter said, noting he has a daughter with epilepsy and her ability to get health insurance would be hampered without the law in place. “We treat people equally.”

Word on Wednesday was that House members wanting to read part of the Constitution were going to have to get in line and it would be first-come-first-serve on who gets to read what section.

“I’m hoping I can time it right to get the 14th Amendment,” Perlmutter said.

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.